Maple View hosts annual community barbecue
Norwood’s Maple View Retirement Residence hosted their annual Community Barbeque last Friday, August 24.
A very large crowd stopped by the Highway 45 facility to partake in a selection of complimentary salads and tasty grilled picnic fare, enjoy an afternoon of live music and to participate in a host of activities that included an antique and classic car show, plenty of games, a silent auction and a 50/50 draw.
The annual barbeque is a way for the local senior’s home to show it’s appreciation to the many volunteers for their generous contributions of time and talents over the past year. It is also a small fundraiser as the proceeds from the silent auction and 50/50 draw are used to help purchase Christmas presents for the residents.
Part of the activities also includes the presentation of a few awards and acknowledgments to the homes many volunteers. Activity Director Tiffany Martell had the privilege of presenting Maple View’s Volunteer of the Year Award to Emily Buchanan who has been volunteering for over two years. Tiffany thanked Emily for her dedication and presented the self-professed lover of cats with a special basket of cat related goodies. Tiffany went on to say how honoured she was to see Emily go from a shy, reserved teenager when she first started volunteering to “a beautiful young independent and outgoing women, who is always there to lend a helping hand and put a smile on your face.”
Marlene Kasaboski was also recognized for simply “helping out all the time and for always being there when a helping hand is needed.” Marlene was also thanked for her positive outlook and her ability to provide staff and residents with a “good giggle” when it was needed.
A special thank you also went out to Maple View Administrator Cindy McGriskin, for being a good boss, a good friend and for always being on board to try new and crazy ideas.
Volunteer Hailey Baptie who participated in the recent Norwood Fair Ambassador competition this year representing Maple View was also thanked for her time and dedication as she happily doled out ice cream to guests in her honourary role as Maple View “Barbeque Queen”.
Members of the Norwood Legion were also on hand and presented Maple View with a surprise donation of $500 to be used in support of the residents.
A final thank you was extended to the community at large for their unwavering support of their local senior’s residence.
Library history update
After last week’s historical article on the Norwood Library ran, as it sometimes happens a few more facts have surfaced that should have been included in the original piece.
I have always tried to adhere to the old adage of giving credit where credit is due so it needs to be mentioned that the major renovations that took place at the library in 1994 were completed as an adopted project by the Norwood Lions Club.
The club that was also responsible for earlier renovations of the library in the 1970’s, stepped forward again in 1994 and secured a $100,000 grant plus they contributed an additional $138,000 that they raised through various club fundraisers, individuals and groups. The club formed a special building committee to oversee the project, hiring a Peterborough based architect and a local construction company to complete the work for a total cost of $238,000. (For comparison this is equivalent to about $400,000 in 2018). In their 66 year history, the Norwood Lions have never wavered from their mandate of community betterment.